09.020
Core and Pancharatra: King Kshemadruti is killed by Satyaki; in the intense battle between two Shatvatas, Satyaki and Kritavarma, Kritavarma is defeated; Kripa who attacks following Kritavarma's defeat, is taken away; the Kaurava army flees, leaving behind Duryodhana.
Sanjaya said:
In that glorious battle, when the hero Śālva was slain, your army was shattered with the force of the wind, like a great tree.
Upon witnessing the shattered forces, the valiant Kritavarma, a great charioteer, stood firm against the mighty enemy army in the battle.
The heroes, having returned, saw Sātvata standing like a mountain in the battle, O king, being showered with arrows.
Then the battle began between the Kauravas and the Pandavas, O great king, marking the return after causing the death of those who had retired.
There was a remarkable battle involving Sātvata and others, where a single warrior managed to hold back the formidable Pāṇḍava army.
For the sake of their mutual friendship, in the challenging task, the delighted ones let out a lion's roar that reached the sky and was very great.
Hearing that sound, the frightened Panchalas were pursued by the mighty-armed Satyaki, the grandson of Shini, O best of the Bharatas.
He approached the mighty King Kṣemadhūrti and killed him with seven sharp arrows, sending him to the abode of Yama.
The mighty-armed warrior, approaching with a shower of sharp arrows, swiftly attacked the wise Hārdikya, the foremost of the Shinis.
The two warriors, resembling roaring lions and being the best among charioteers, charged at each other with their excellent weapons.
The Pandavas, along with the Panchalas and other great kings, watched the two lion-like warriors.
The great charioteers from the Vṛṣṇis and Andhakas joyfully attacked each other with iron and calf-teeth arrows, resembling elephants in their enthusiasm.
Hārdikya and the best of the Śinis wandered through various paths, repeatedly vanishing under a shower of arrows aimed at each other.
We observed the arrows, propelled by the powerful force of the Vṛṣṇi warriors' bows, soaring through the sky like swift birds.
The son of Hṛdika, having approached the one who is truthful in deeds, pierced the four horses with four sharp arrows.
The long-armed warrior, in his anger, attacked Kritavarma with eight powerful arrows, much like an elephant struck by arrows.
Then, Kritavarma released fully drawn stone-sharpened arrows, striking Satyaki with three and cutting off his bow with one.
After cutting off that best bow and discarding it, the best of the Shinis, the son of Sini, swiftly took another bow with arrows.
Having taken the best bow, the most excellent among all archers, he mounted it, possessing great heroism, intellect, and strength.
The great warrior, intolerant of his bow being cut by Kṛtavarmā, angrily and swiftly approached him.
Then, the best warrior of the Shini clan used ten sharp arrows to kill Kṛtavarman's charioteer, horses, and knock down his flag.
Then, O king, the great archer Kritavarma, a mighty chariot-warrior, saw the chariot, adorned with gold, with its horses and charioteer slain.
In great anger and agitation, raising his spear, O dear one, he hurled it with all his might, aiming to kill the foremost of the Shinis.
Sātvata, in the battle, pierced the spear with sharp arrows, shattering it and causing it to fall, as if bewildering Mādhava. Then, he struck him in the heart with another arrow.
In the battle, Kritavarma, with his horses and charioteer slain by Yuyudhana, fell to the ground, defeated by the skilled archer.
In that duel, the hero Satyaki, having deprived his opponent of his chariot, caused great fear among all the armies.
Your son was overwhelmed with grief as his charioteer and horses were slain, and his chariot was disabled in the battle involving Kritavarma.
Upon seeing the horse and charioteer slain, Kṛpa, the subduer of enemies, charged towards the foremost of the Śinis with the intent to kill, O king.
The mighty-armed hero swiftly carried him away from the battlefield, placing him on the chariot seat, even as all the archers watched.
O King, when Śaineya was stationed and Kṛtavarman was left without a chariot, all of Duryodhana's forces turned away once more.
Then, unable to comprehend due to the dust raised by the army, your soldiers fled, O King, leaving only King Duryodhana behind.
Duryodhana, upon seeing his own army broken nearby, swiftly approached and single-handedly stopped everyone.
In his anger, he targeted all the Pandavas, Dhrishtadyumna, the son of Prishata, Shikhandi, the sons of Draupadi, and the troops of the Panchalas.
O great one, the invincible warrior, without any confusion, repelled the Kekayas, Somakas, and the Panchalas with his sharp weapons.
Your mighty son stood ready in battle, just as a great fire, purified by mantras, shines brightly in a sacrifice.
The others did not dare to approach him, as mortals would not approach death in battle. Then, Hārdikya, having mounted another chariot, engaged in the fight.
